Massage apparatus



Mas-24A Sept. 28, 1954 2,690,174

M. FUCHS MASSAGE APPARATUS Filed March 19. 1949 Patentedl Sept. 28, 1954UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims priority, application SwitzerlandJune 7, 1945 (Cl. 12S- 44) 7 claims. 1

This application is a continuation-impart of my co-pending applicationSerial No. 671,355, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a massage apparatus, which possessesspecific characteristics different from those of the known massageapparatuses, and which possesses advantages thereof.

According to the invention, a massage appara.- tus comprises a controlmeans, which control means is adapted to operate in accordance with therhythmical heart impulses, which are produced by the heart action of thepatient. The electromechanical control means is so formed, that by meansof the received impulses, a pressure transmitting device causes themassage as such to function. The pressure transmitting device isattached to a massage member applied to the part of the body to bemassaged, in such a way that by means of the pressure transmittingdevice actuated by the heartpagtign, compressions are exerted on`tl`iepar'tcft'he body to be treated in heart rhythm of the patient.

Preferably, the control means may comprise an electromagnet in a circuitwhich is rhythmically closed and opened, respectively, according to therhythm of the hear impulses, whereby said electromagnet is provided fortransferring the heart impulse received from the control means upon thepressure transmitting device with the result that the action of thelatter occurs in rhythm with -the heart action.

The electromagnet may suitably act upon a blow-off valve arranged in theconnection between the pressure transmitting device and the massagemember with the result that the supply o! compressed medium from thecontainer is rhythmically interrupted and that the medium contained inthe massage member may simultaneously escape therefrom during thisinterval, whereby the blow-off valve will suitably be reset into itsnormal position by means of a spring as soon as the action of theelectromagnet is suspended.

Another likewise suitable way is to provide control means comprisingpiezoelectric Mcrystltls which transform the rhythmical pressureresulting from the heart action into electrical energy which may beTminligegdby at least one amplier valve and used or controlling therhythm pressure transmitting device.

Alternatively for instance, the control means may be rhythmicallyactuated by means of a manometer which may be applied to a pulsatingpart of the body, whereby there may be suitably 2 provided adiiierential manometer, for instance, which transforms the impulses ofthe heart by means of a diaphragm and a lever connected thereto, thatthereby the circuit of an electromagnet will be accordingly clo'sed andopened respectively.

Preferably, the pressure transmitting device is actuated by a motor, forinstance an electric motor, which may be provided with a rheostat whichpermits adjusting the speed oi' the motor.

Preferably, the control means may comprise at least onaamnlm Avali/:clwhicbrigadpted t0 alify at leastuecflthesmreats the ht 'actionsto such an extent that thi'action current may be used for controllingthe pressure transmitting device.

The action currents of the heart may be suitably led to the amplifiervalves by means of electrodes which are applied to the body to betreated.

Also a container can be provided which contains a medium under pressure,for example, compressed air.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration, partly in section,of a massage apparatus according to the present invention, and;

Figs. 2 and 3 are variations thereof.

A motor l drives a compressor 2 which carries a pipe 3 having an openingthrough which air is sucked from the atmosphere and which is incommunication with an air reservoir, which is provided with a pressureregulating valve 5. To the air reservoir t is connected a control valveacting as a blow-off valve, which comprises a housing 6, in which ispositioned a movable piston 1, which is actuated by an electromagnet 8,and which returns to its .startingV position through its own weight orthrough a pressure spring 9. In Fig. 1 the piston 1 is shown in raisedposition so that the air under pressure passes from the air reservoir Ethrough the control valve into a message means connected to the latter.

The massage means consists essentially of an elastic hollow body. Itsform and size depends upon the part of the body to be massaged.V In Fig.l. the massage means is illustrated for an extremity. for instance anarm or a leg. The hollow body consists of an elastic inner partition,for instance of rubber, l0 and a less nexible outer cover H. The massagemeans is placed around the extremity i2 shown in cross section andfastened to the same in a manner similar to the known collars, which areused for measuring blood pressure. I5 isa control means, which lead theimpulses of the heart of the patient over the leads I4. The controlmeans l5 comprises 3 a manually operable knob 24, which adjusts thefunction of a time relay 24a, which in turn permits the variation of thedelay of the moment of imparting the compression with respect to theactuating heart impulses received by the clamps 5 I4. A second knob 25adjusts the actuation of another device such as a time relay 25a, bywhich the duration of the sending impulses to the said coil and also theduration of the compression in the massage means can be changed. A thirdknob 26 actuates a pressure regulating valve which is formed similar tothe pressure regulating valve 5. The arrangement according to Fig. 1operates as follows:

The motor I drives the compressor 2, air is sucked from the atmospherethrough the pipe 3 into the air reservoir 4. The pressure in the airreservoir is regulated by the regulating valve 5 or by the knob 26. Overthe control means I5 arrive the heart impulses going from the leads I4,over the lead 23 to the electromagnet 8, which attracts the controlpiston 1. In raised position of the control piston 1 the air underpressure leaves the air reservoir 4 through the blow-off valve 6 andpasses into the massage means IU, 25

II and exerts a pressure on a part of the body. Upon return of thepiston 'I, the admission of air under pressure to the massage means isinterrupted and the air escapes through an opening 'IA into theatmosphere. If the a of the hezgtnaxgeemplolediorteering and contlheapparatusjhen e. pair 0 #ataappliedieasart .f thldy '6i-libe a-- in asimilar manner as fonelectrocardiographs,

the pair of electrodes being connected to the leads I4 of the controlapparatus I5 which act ansiethqm ampliggr. If the heart tone isemploye'd'i? controlling the heart action, then a microphone I6 (Fig. 3)is employed, which is applied to the breast of the patient over theposition of the 40 heart, or over an artery of the neck, or an arm, or aradial artery, and with the clamps I4 of the control device I5.

If the blood pressure uctuation is employed for control, then an Indiarubber cui I'I (Fig. 2) 45 is employed, such as one usual for measuringblood pressure. The India rubber cuff I'I is connected with a contactmanometer I8, which reacts with the oscillation of the blood pressure.

In the moment of the highest blood pressure, the

manometer closes for a short time the circuit which is fed by a batteryI9 and it includes a voltage divider consisting of the resistances 20and 2 I. The circuit is connected to the clamps I4 of the controllingdevice I5.

Fig. 4 represents the above-mentioned variation comprising a cuff 21 xedon a pulsating part of the body, the inner room of the cui 2'I isconnected with a casing 28, in which are placed a piezo-crystal 29 withtwo electrodes 30 and 3|. 60

This crystal is able to transform the rhythmical pressure resulting fromthe heart action into electrical energy, which may be suitably ampliedby at least one amplier valve 32 and used for controlling the rhythm ofthe pressure transmiterating the massage by means of the receivedmpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm with the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, and means forregulating the duration of the compression impulses releasedrhythmically by the heart action and for regulating the height of thepressure of each of these compressions as well as the delay of themoment of imparting the compression with respect to the actuating heartimpulses.

2. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplifier for heartimpulses, an electromagnet control means including said amplifier, saidcontrol means operating with the rhythmical heart impulses which areprovided by the heart action of the patient, a pressure transmittingdevice, said control means controlling the operation of the pressuretransmitting device operating the massage by means of the receivedimpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, means for regulatingthe duration of the compression impulses released rhythmically by theheart action and for regulating the height of the pressure of each ofthese compressions as well as the delay of the moment of imparting thecompression with respect to the actuating heart impulses, massage means,a conduit for admitting air from said pressure transmitting device intosaid massage means.

3. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplier for heartimpulses, an electromagnet control means including said amplifier, saidcontrol means operating with the rhythmical heart impulses which areprovided by the heart action of the patient, a pressure transmittingdevice, said control means controlling the operation of the pressuretransmitting device operating the massage by means of the receivedimpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, and means forregulating the duration of the compression impulses releasedrhythmically by the heart action and for regulating the height of thepressure of each of these compressions as well as the delay of themoment of imparting the compression with respect to the actuating heartimpulses.

4. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplifier for heartimpulses, an elec- 5 tromagnet control means including said amplifier,

said control means operating with the rhythmical heart impulses whichare provided by the heart action of the patient, a pressure transmittingdevice, said control means controlling the operation of the pressuretransmitting device operating the massage by means of the receivedimpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, means for regulatingthe duration of the compression impulses released rhythmically by theheart action and for regulating the height of the pressure of each ofthese compressions as well as the delay of the moment of imparting thecompression with respect to the actuating heart impulses, leads to thecontrol means, and electrodes connected to the leads to transmitting theaction current of the heart for controlling the apparatus.

5. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplier for heartimpulses, an electromagnet control means including said amplier, saidcontrol means operating with the rhythmical heart impulses which areprovided by the heart action of the patient, a pressure transmittingdevice, said control means controlling the operation of the pressuretransmitting device operating the massage by means of the receivedimpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, means for regulatingthe duration of the compression impulses released rhythmically by theheart action and for regulating the height of the pressure of each ofthese compressions as Well as the delay of the moment of imparting thecompression with respect to the actuating heart impulses, clamps in thecontrol means, a microphone connected to the leads of the control meansfor transmitting the heart tone for actuating and controlling theapparatus.

6. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplifier for heartimpulses, an

electromagnet control means including said amling the operation of thepressure transmitting device operating the massage by means of thereceived impulses so that compressions are exerted on the part of thebody to be treated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of thepressure transmitting device operated by the heart action, means forregulating the duration of the compression impulses releasedrhythmically by the heart action and for regulating the height of thepressure of each of these compressions as Well as the delay of themoment of imparting the compression with respect to the actuating heartimpulses, massage means a control valve in the pressure transmittingdevice, the

control means being operated by means of anV amplifier for increasingthe impulses of the electrocardiogram of the patient, and for further 6conducting these amplied impulses in the same rhythm to the controlvalve and to fill the massage means in the same rhythm with air underpressure, and for discharging the same in equal rhythm.

7. A massage apparatus comprising in combination, an amplifier for heartimpulses, an electromagnet control means including said amplier, saidcontrol means operating With the rhythmical heart impulses which areprovided by the heart action of the patient, a pressure transmittingdevice, said control means controlling the operation of the pressuretransmitting device operating the massage by means of the receivedimpulses so that pressures are exerted on the part of the body to betreated in heart rhythm of the patient by means of the pressuretransmitting device operated by the heart action, means for regulatingthe duration of the compression impulses released rhythmically by theheart action and for regulating the heightk of the pressure of each ofthese compressions as well as the delay of the moment of imparting thecompression with respect to the actuating heart impulses, massage meansa control valve in the pressure transmitting device, the control meansbeing operated by means of an amplier for increasing the impulses of theelectrocardiogram of the patient, and for further conducting theseamplified impulses in the same` rhythm to the control valve and to llthe massage means in the same rhythm with air under pressure, and fordischarging the same in equal rhythm, a container in the pressuretransmitting device having a medium under pressure, an electromagnet inthe control means actuating in rhythm with the heart, and a blow-oilvalve connected to a junction between the pressure transmitting meansand the massage means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

